Professional Documents
Culture Documents
®
Operation Manual
Version 1.2
Feb, 2021
Sequential LLC
1527 Stockton Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94133
USA
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sound Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Selecting Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Stepping Through Presets Using the Inc/Dec Buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Editing Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How to Check a Parameter Setting in a Preset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Comparing an Edited Program to its Original State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Creating a Program from Scratch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Live Panel Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Saving a Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Canceling Save. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Using Poly Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Moving to the Next Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Global Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Globals - Top Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Globals - Bottom Row. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Oscillators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Oscillator Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Detune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Mixer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Filter Envelope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Response Curve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Distortion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
X-Mod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
X-Mod Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Arpeggiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Arpeggiator Beat Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
MIDI Note Output from the Arpeggiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Using the Arpeggiator in a Poly-Chained System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Arpeggiator Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Sequencer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Programming the Sequencer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
MIDI Note Output from the Sequencer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Using the Sequencer in a Poly-Chained System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Sequencer Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Pan Spread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Transpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Hold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Portamento. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Unison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Using Unison in a Poly-Chained System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Using Chord Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Write. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Canceling Save. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Comparing Before You Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Globals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Aftertouch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Using USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SOUND DESIGN
Cyan Assiter-Clark, Daniel Davis, Rory Dow, Peter Dyer, Peter Gorges, Tim
Koon, Kurt Kurasaki, Kevin Lamb, Peter Mahr, Cord Mueller, Drew Neumann,
Bob Oxley, Robert Rich, Matia Simovich, James Terris, Mitch Thomas, Taiho
Yamada, and Lorenz Rhode
Special thanks to Tom Oberheim. Thanks also to Robert Rich for the alternative
tunings content.
A Few Words of Thanks
Thank you for purchasing the OB-6. It’s an awesome-sounding synthesizer and
we’re very proud of it, and very proud to have been able to co-create it with my
old friend, Tom Oberheim.
I’ve known Tom since the late 1970’s when we both shared the heady experience
of creating and selling some of the very first polyphonic synthesizers through
our respective companies, Sequential Circuits and Oberheim Electronics. Back
in those days, people were typically in either the Prophet or the Oberheim camp,
and though we were competitors, we were always friendly competitors, and have
remained good friends ever since.
Now, many years later, with the analog synth revival, Tom and I are again
making the instruments that we love. After I reacquired the Sequential brand and
released the Prophet-6 and saw how much people liked it, the Sequential gang
and I thought it would be fun to work with Tom to help bring back his classic
SEM-based polyphonic sound in a modern format. So we did. And the result is
the very synth that you’ve just unboxed.
The OB-6 takes the best qualities of Tom’s classic SEM-based synths and adds some
nice touches that the originals never had, such as stereo outputs, velocity and after-
touch sensitivity, dual digital effects, a polyphonic step sequencer, an arpeggiator, and
of course, MIDI. The result is a modern classic: Pure vintage analog tone with the
reliability of a state-of-the-art, modern instrument.
Working together to bring you the OB-6 has been a real pleasure. We hope you
enjoy it and make some great music with it!
Cheers,
Getting Started
The OB-6 is a six-voice, polyphonic analog synthesizer with voltage-
controlled oscillators, filters, and amplifiers. It was designed to provide
all of the warmth, punch, and presence of a classic, SEM-based Tom
Oberheim synthesizer, with the added convenience and stability of a state-
of-the-art, modern instrument.
All of the sound-shaping controls of the OB-6 are accessible on its front
panel, packing a tremendous amount of power and versatility into a
compact, easy-to-use format.
PHONES LEFT RIGHT LP FILTER VOLUME SUSTAIN SEQUENCER MIDI THRU MIDI OUT MIDI IN USB
SAWTOOTH 3 A B
REV SAW 1
SQUARE
RANDOM
OSCILLATORS MIXER FILTER ENVELOPES OUTPUT
VCO 1 VCO 2 VCO 1 SHAPE 1 LFO SYNC INITIAL AMT VCO 1 VCO 2 FILTER ENVELOPE
FREQUENCY SYNC FREQUENCY DETUNE LOW FREQ VCO 1 VCO 2 FREQUENCY RESONANCE ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE AMOUNT PAN SPREAD PRGM VOL
VELOCITY
PULSE WIDTH PULSE WIDTH KEYBOARD SUB OCTAVE NOISE NOTCH BP TRACK ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE AMOUNT MASTER VOLUME
1 2
FILTR FREQ FILTR MODE FILTR FREQ FILTR MODE AMP FILTR FREQ FILTR MODE VELOCITY
LP HP HALF FULL
LOUDNESS ENVELOPE
Decrement Increment Transpose Master Tune MIDI Channel MIDI Clock Clock Port Param Xmit Param Rcv MIDI Control MIDI SysEx MIDI Out
TRANSPOSE WHL RANGE HOLD RATE PORTAMENTO KEY MODE DETUNE UNISON BANK BANK PROGRAM TENS Local Ctrl Seq Jack Pot Mode Sustain +/- Alt Tuning Vel Response AT Response Stereo/Mono Pgm Dump WRITE GLOBALS MANUAL
0
SELECT SELECT 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
PITCH MOD
Decrement Increment Transpose Master Tune MIDI Channel MIDI Clock Clock Port Param Xmit Param Rcv MI
BANK BANK PROGRAM TENS Local Ctrl Seq Jack Pot Mode Sustain +/- Alt Tuning Vel Response AT Response Ste
SELECT SELECT 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Selecting Programs
Use the bank, tens, and program selector buttons to select and recall
programs.
To choose a program:
1. Press a program selector button (0-9) to specify the “ones” digit of the
program.
2. Hold down the tens button then press a program selector button (0-9) to
specify the “tens” digit of the program.
3. Hold down the bank button then press a program selector button (0-9)
to specify the “hundreds” bank of the program.
Holding down the decrement button and pressing the increment button
advances the program number by 1 value. Conversely, holding down the increment
button and pressing the decrement button decrements the program number by 1 value.
This is especially useful for going between Tens, as you can wrap around to the next
set.
For example:
• If the current program is 100 and you want to recall program 101,
simply press “1.”
• If the current program is 100 and you want to recall program 110, hold
down the tens button and press “1.”
• If the current program is 100 and you want to recall program 115, hold
down the tens button and press “1.” Then release the tens button and
press “5.”
Pressing the globals button three times in a row saves the current program as
the default program that appears when you turn on the OB-6.
To do this:
Editing Programs
Because all of the sound-shaping controls of the OB-6 appear on its front
panel, editing an existing program is simple: just turn a knob and listen to its
effect. Keep turning knobs and pressing buttons and if you like what you’ve
created, save the program. (“Saving a Program” on page 6.)
The rotary controls on the front panel are a mixture of “endless” rotary encoders
and potentiometers or “pots.” You can choose between three different modes that
determine how the synth reacts when parameters are edited with a pot. See “Pot
Mode” on page 14
BANK PROGRAM
The dot illuminates when a knob position matches a preset’s saved parameter value
1. Edit a program.
2. Press the write button. It starts flashing.
3. Press the globals button. Both LEDs on the button light up, indicating
compare mode.
4. Play the keyboard to hear the saved version of the sound.
5. To disable the compare function and return to the edited sound, turn off
the globals button. Programs can’t be written while in compare mode.
6. If you want to save the edited sound, the write button is still flashing
and ready to save, so enter a location with the program selector buttons.
The sound is saved.
7. Alternatively, if you want to cancel saving and continue editing, press
the write button. It stops flashing and saving is canceled.
• Press the manual button to toggle it on. Note that you can’t change
programs or banks with manual on.
MANUAL
Saving a Program
If you’ve created a sound that you like, you’ll probably want to save it.
Saving a program overwrites a previously saved program. Sound design-
ers often save many incremental versions of a program as they continue
to refine it. These intermediate versions often make good jumping off
points for new sounds.
Be careful when write is enabled. You can change banks and tens without
executing write, but once you press a program selector button (0-9) for the “ones”
digit, the write command is executed and the program at that location is overwritten.
• If the write button LED is flashing, press it again. The LED stops flash-
ing and saving is canceled. You can return to editing if you want.
1. With a MIDI cable, connect the rear-panel midi out of the first OB-6
(the master) to the midi in of the second OB-6 (the slave).
2. On the master OB-6, press the globals button then press program selector
button 9 (midi out).
3. Use the bank/decrement and tens/increment to select ply (poly).
4. Press the globals button twice to exit globals mode.
The two synths are now poly chained. You can now play up to twelve
notes simultaneously. Another advantage of this arrangement is that
notes with long release times are less likely to be cut off as you play
additional notes.
First, check out the Global Settings section of this manual. Read about
Pot Modes and determine which works best for you when you’re editing
sounds. You’ll also find information about MIDI setup. Read this to more
effectively integrate the OB-6 into your MIDI rig. To get the most out of
the OB-6’s live performance capabilities, read up on using a footswitch
or expression pedal.
And finally, be on the lookout for tips and notes scattered throughout
this manual to gain a better working knowledge of the OB-6. The better
you know it, the more you’ll get out of it. We wish you many hours of
musical exploration!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10 Connections Sequential
Global Settings
Global settings are parameters that affect all programs. These include
settings such as Master Tune, MIDI Channel, MIDI Clock, and others.
Global parameters are printed above the numeric program selector
switches (0-9). Use the globals switch to choose between the two sets.
The red LED indicates that the upper row is active. The yellow LED
indicates that the lower row is active
GLOBALS
Transpose Master Tune MIDI Channel MIDI Clock Clock Port Param Xmit Param Rcv MIDI Co
Local Ctrl Seq Jack Pot Mode Sustain +/- Alt Tuning Vel Response AT Response Stereo/M
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Globals 0-4
Clock Port Param Xmit Param Rcv MIDI Control MIDI SysEx MIDI Out
Alt Tuning Vel Response AT Response Stereo/Mono Pgm Dump
4 5 6 7 8 9
Globals 5-9
Decrement Increment
BANK BANK PROGRAM TENS
SELECT SELECT
Use the Bank/Decrement and Tens/Increment buttons to scroll forward and backward, respectively,
through parameter settings
1. Press the globals button. Pressing it once activates the top row of
parameters. Pressing it a second time enables the bottom row of param-
eters. The LED indicates which row is active
2. Press the program selector button (0 - 9) that corresponds to the desired
parameter. The parameters are printed above each switch.
3. Use the bank and tens buttons as decrement and increment buttons to
step through available settings.
4. Once you’ve chosen the desired setting, press the globals button again
to exit.
3. MIDI Clock: Sets the OB-6’s ability to send and receive MIDI clock
messages:
• Off: MIDI Clock is neither sent nor received
• Out: MIDI Clock is sent, but not received
• In: MIDI Clock is received, but not sent
• Slave Thru (i-0): MIDI Clock is received and passed to MIDI Out
• In, No Start/Stop (n55): Receives MIDI Clock but does not respond to
MIDI Start or Stop commands.
When set to in or slave thru, if no MIDI clock is present at the selected input,
the arpeggiator and sequencer will not function.
NRPNs are the preferred method of parameter transmission, since they cover
the complete range of all parameters, while CCs are limited to a range of 128.
6. Param Rcv: Off, CC, NR—Sets the method by which parameter changes are
received via MIDI. As with transmission, NRPNs are the preferred method.
7. MIDI Control: Off, On—When On, the synth will respond to MIDI
controllers, including pitch wheel, mod wheel, pedal, volume.
8. MIDI SysEx: MID, USB— When set to MIDI (MID) it will receive
and transmit them using the MIDI ports/cables When set to USB it
will receive and transmit them using the USB port/cable. MIDI SysEx
messages are used when sending and receiving a variety of data includ-
ing, programs, alternative tunings, system updates, and more.
9. MIDI Out: MID, USB—Sets the port by which MIDI data will be trans-
mitted (MIDI or USB).
For best results when triggering the sequencer with an audio signal, use a loud
signal with a sharp attack/decay and little or no sustain.
2. Pot Mode: Rel, Pas, Jup (Relative, Passthru, Jump)—The rotary controls
on the front panel are a mixture of “endless” rotary encoders and potenti-
ometers or “pots.” The pots are identifiable by their lined knobs and the
fact that they have about 300° of travel. There are three pot modes to deter-
mine how the synth reacts when the programmable parameters are edited.
(master volume is not programmable, so these modes don’t apply.)
In Relative mode, changes are relative to the stored setting. In Relative mode, the
full value range is not available until either the minimum or maximum value and
the respective lower or upper limit of the pot’s travel is reached. For example,
the resonance parameter has an internal value range of 0 to 127. Let’s
say the physical position of the resonance pot is the equivalent to a
value of 100. If you switch to a program that has a stored Resonance
setting of 63 and turn the pot all the way up, it will only go to 90. To get
to the maximum value of 127, you first have to turn down until the value is
at the other extreme and the pot is at the limit of its travel (in this case, 0
and fully counter-clockwise, respectively).
In Passthru mode, turning the pot has no effect until after the edited
value equals the preset value (that is, until the edited value “passes
through” the stored value).
3. Sustain +/- : Nor, Rev, n-r, r-n (Normally Open, Normally Closed,
Sustain Normally Open/Sequencer Normally Closed, Sustain Normally
Closed/Sequencer Normally Open)—The Sustain pedal polarity param-
eter affects both the sustain pedal and sequencer jack input ports. There
are two types of momentary footswitches, normally open and normally
closed. Either type can be used with the OB-6. Not sure which type
you have? If the behavior of the footswitch is the opposite of what is
expected — that is, down is off and up is on — changing this setting will
correct that.
4. Alt Tuning: Nor, 1…16 (Normal, 1…16)—Selects one of the OB-6’s built-
in tunings. Set to normal, the tuning is standard, chromatic tuning. Choosing
1 through 16 selects an alternative, non-chromatic, non-Western scale that can
be used to emulate ethnic instruments or in other creative ways.
8. Pgm Dump: Prg, Ten, Ban, usr, All (Program, Tens, Bank, User
Banks, All)—Transmits the current program, ten programs from the
currently selected bank and tens location, the current bank, all user
banks (0-4), or all banks (both user and factory) in SysEx format via the
selected MIDI port. (See: “MIDI Sysex.”) Dumped programs will load
back into the same bank and program location in memory when received by
the OB-6 via MIDI.
OB-6 Operation Manual Global Settings 15
Oscillators
Oscillators provide the raw building blocks of the OB-6’s sound by
producing waveforms, each of which has its own inherent sound charac-
ter based on its harmonic content. The OB-6 has two oscillators, plus a
sub oscillator and a noise generator per voice. Level controls for each of
these are located in the Mixer section.
The oscillators on the OB-6 are extremely stable. To emulate the random pitch
drift and oscillator instability of vintage instruments, use the detune parameter (next to
the unison button) to dial in as little or as much drift as you like.
OSCILLATORS
VCO 1 VCO 2
FREQUENCY SYNC FREQUENCY DETUNE LOW FREQ
Oscillators 1 and 2
VCO 2 features a detune knob for detuning and thickening sounds, a low
freq switch that allows it to function as an LFO for modulation purposes,
and a keyboard switch that disables keyboard control over its pitch
(useful when used as an LFO, or for drones and other effects).
16 Oscillators Sequential
Oscillator Parameters
Frequency: Sets the base oscillator frequency over a 9-octave range from
16 Hz to 8KHz (when used with the Transpose buttons). Adjustment is in
semitones.
The global Master Tune settings affect the pitch of all oscillators. See “Globals -
Top Row” on page 12page 12 for more information.
Pulse Width: Changes the width of the pulse wave from a square wave
when the pulse width knob is at center position, to a very narrow pulse
wave when the pulse width knob is full left or right.
Applying pulse width modulation using X-Mod or the low frequency oscillator is
a great way to add movement and thickness to a sound, especially when creating pad
or string-like sounds.
Sync: Off, On—Turns VCO 1 hard sync on. Sync forces VCO 1 (the
slave) to restart its cycle every time VCO 2 (the master) starts a cycle.
This provides a way to create more complex, harmonically rich shapes
from simple waveforms—especially when the frequency of VCO 1 is set
to a different interval than VCO 2.
Oscillator 2
Oscillator 1
synced to
Oscillator 2
Use X-Mod to sweep the pitch of VCO 1 when it is synced to generate the clas-
sic, hard-edged sync sound.
Keyboard: Off, On—When off, the VCO 2 ignores the keyboard and
note data received via MIDI and plays at its base frequency setting. VCO 2
pitch can still be affected by modulation from other sources when in this
mode.
18 Oscillators Sequential
Detune
Detune (next to the unison button) adds randomized detuning to the
oscillators to emulate the tuning instability of vintage analog oscillators.
This tuning instability is a big part of what made vintage instruments sound
characteristically warm and fat.
DETUNE UNISON
The global Master Tune settings affect the pitch of all oscillators. See “Globals -
Top Row” on page 12 for more information.
Rather than limit the OB-6’s outputs to keep the instrument from clipping, we
allow you to adjust levels at various points in its signal path. This gives you the option
to “overload” things in interesting ways, if you wish to do so. If not, try reducing the
levels of the oscillators in the mixer section, the env amount parameter in the loudness
envelope, or the resonance parameter in the filter.
MIXER
VCO 1 VCO 2
The Mixer
Sub Octave: Controls the level of a square wave oscillator pitched one
octave below VCO 1. Adding a sub octave to sounds such as bass are a
great way to increase their low-register presence.
20 Mixer Sequential
Filter
The Filter takes the basic, raw sound of the oscillators and noise genera-
tor and subtracts frequencies, changing the harmonic content and char-
acter of their sound. This change can be varied over time using the Filter
Envelope to produce more dynamic, animated timbres.
The filter mode knob sets the filter’s mode of operation. It transitions
smoothly from low-pass to notch to high-pass operation, allowing a
blending of these modes. Band-pass operation is selected with the BP
switch. Each filter mode has its own characteristic sound and function:
Band-pass mode is selectable only through the bp on/off switch. However, you
can actually smoothly transition between normal and band-pass operation by choosing
norm-bp as a X-Mod destination in the mod matrix.
FILTER
FREQUENCY RESONANCE
NOTCH BP TRACK
LP HP HALF FULL
High levels of resonance can sometimes cause the OB-6 outputs to clip if
its sound generators are also set to high output in the Mixer. Monitor your outputs
carefully to ensure optimal, clean signal levels. If you experience signal clipping, try
reducing the levels of the oscillators in the mixer section, the amount parameter in the
loudness envelope, or the resonance parameter in the filter.
Track: Off, Half, Full—Sets the amount of modulation from the keyboard
to the filter’s cutoff frequency. Selecting half or full means that the
higher the note played on the keyboard, the more the filter opens. This
is useful for adding brightness to a sound as higher notes are played, which
is typically how acoustic instruments behave. If both half and full are off,
keyboard filter tracking is off, meaning that filter frequency is unaffected by
playing higher or lower notes on the keyboard.
22 Filter Sequential
Filter Envelope
The OB-6 filter has a dedicated, four-stage envelope generator. The Filter
Envelope is used to shape the harmonic characteristics of a synthesized
sound by giving you filtering control over its attack, decay, sustain, and
release stages.
ENVELOPES
FILTER ENVELOPE
ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE AMOUNT
VELOCITY
Filter Envelope
Release
Sustain
Decay
Attack
Amplitude
Time
Decay: Sets the decay time of the envelope. After a sound reaches the
filter frequency set at its attack stage, decay controls how quickly the
filter then transitions to the cutoff frequency set with the sustain knob.
The higher the setting, the longer the decay. Percussive sounds, such as
synth bass, typically have shorter decays (and a generous amount of low-
pass filter resonance).
Sustain: Sets the filter cutoff frequency for the sustained portion of the
sound. The sound will stay at this filter frequency for as long as a note is
held on the keyboard.
Release: Sets the release time of the envelope. This controls how
quickly the filter closes after a note is released.
Amount: Sets the amount of modulation from the filter envelope to the
filter. Higher amounts more dramatically affect the cutoff frequency. This
control is bipolar. Positive settings produce standard behavior. Negative
settings invert the envelope.
The description of envelope behavior above is true when the amount parameter
is set to a positive value. But since this control is actually bipolar, it is possible to set
a negative amount of modulation. In this case, the envelopes are inverted and their
behavior changes. The best way to get a feel for the difference is to experiment with
both positive and negative settings of the envelope amount parameter.
The cutoff frequency setting may limit the effect of the envelope on the filter. For
example, in low-pass filter mode , if frequency is at its highest setting, a positive enve-
lope amount will have no effect on the filter since the filter is already completely open.
However, in the case of the OB-6, there is a hidden feature in the X-Mod
section that allows you to modify the responsiveness of the filter enve-
lope’s ADSR controls. This opens up a new level of fine adjustment of
these controls that is subtle but powerful. Try it and see.
1. Select a program, such as a synth brass sound, that has a slightly soft
but bright attack.
2. Repeatedly play a series of notes or chords on the keyboard, so you can
hear the effect of the adjustments as you follow the steps below.
3. In the X-Mod section, enable the filtr freq as the only destination
(disable all other X-Mod destinations such as vco 1, shape 1, etc.).
4. In the X-Mod section, turn the filter env control slightly counterclock-
wise. Try a setting of about 11 o’clock.
5. Continue to play a series of chords and turn the amount knob in the
filter envelope section. Try moving it back and forth between 1
o’clock and 3 o’clock.
6. As you do this, compare different settings of the X-Mod filter env
control, the filter envelope amount, and different attack, decay,
sustain, and release settings on the filter envelope.
VELOCITY
LOUDNESS ENVELOPE
Loudness Envelope
Release
Sustain
Decay
Attack
Amplitude
Time
Decay: Sets the decay time of the envelope. After a sound reaches its full
volume at its attack stage, decay controls how quickly the sound transi-
tions to the level set with the sustain control. The higher the setting, the
longer the decay. Percussive sounds, such as synth bass, typically have
shorter decays.
Sustain: Sets the sustain level of the envelope. The higher the setting,
the louder the sustained portion of the sound will be. The sound will stay
at this level for as long as a note is held on the keyboard.
Release: Sets the release time of the envelope. This controls how
quickly a sound dies out after a note is released.
To recreate the “gated VCA” effect used on certain classic rock anthems,
choose an organ sound, then set the loudness envelope amount to zero, route the LFO
square wave to amp with an initial amt setting of 100% and hold a few chords.
While the effects themselves are digital, the main signal path of the OB-6
is analog. The on/ off switch enables and disables both Effect A and
Effect B, using a true bypass, ensuring a pure analog signal path.
EFFECTS
ON/OFF EFFECT TYPE MIX CLK SYNC 2
A B
Effects are divided into sets A and B. You can choose a single effect from
each set. Effect A and B are applied one after another, in series. For this
reason, reverb effects are only available as Effect B, since it’s the last
stage in the serial effects chain — where reverb is traditionally applied.
Either effect can also be set to “off.”
28 Effects Sequential
Effect A:
• Delay 1 (“bbd”) - vintage bucket-brigade emulation
• Delay 2 (“ddl”) - classic digital delay
• Chorus (“CHO”) - vintage chorus
• Flanger 1 (“FL1”) vintage flanger, high resonance
• Flanger 2 (“FL2”) vintage flanger, no feedback
• Phase Shifter 1 (“PH1”) vintage 6-stage phaser, high resonance
• Phase Shifter 2 (“PH2”) vintage 6-stage phaser, lower resonance
• Phase Shifter 3 (“PH3”) faithful emulation of Tom Oberheim’s
original 6-stage phaser
• Ring Modulator (“Ri n ”) faithful emulation of Tom Oberheim’s
original ring modulator design
Effect B:
• Delay 1 (“bbd”) - vintage bucket-brigade emulation
• Delay 2 (“ddl”) - classic standard digital delay
• Chorus (“CHO”) - vintage chorus
• Flanger 1 (“FL1”) vintage “through-zero” flanger, high resonance
• Flanger 2 (“FL2”) vintage “through-zero” flanger, no feedback
• Phase Shifter 1 (“PH1”) vintage 6-stage phaser, high resonance
• Phase Shifter 2 (“PH2”) vintage 6-stage phaser, lower resonance
• Phase Shifter 3 (“PH3”) faithful emulation of Tom Oberheim’s
original 6-stage phaser
• Ring Modulator (“Ri n ”) faithful emulation of Tom Oberheim’s
original ring modulator design
• Reverb 1 (“HAL”) - classic hall emulation
• Reverb 2 (“rOO”) - classic room emulation
• Reverb 3 (“PLA”) - classic plate emulation
• Reverb 4 (“SPr”) - vintage guitar-amp-style spring emulation
Effects Parameters
On/Off: Turns both effects, A and B, on and off. The on/off switch uses a
true bypass, ensuring a pure analog signal path.
Type: Off, bbd, ddl, CHO, FL1, PH1, PH2, PH3, Rin, HAL, rOO, PLA, SPr—Selects
the effect type.
30 Effects Sequential
Clock Sync: On, Off—When a delay effect is chosen, this enables syncing
of the timed delay repeats (feedback) to the arpeggiator, sequencer, or MIDI
clock. When clk sync is on, delay time provides the following values:
ddl: This is a classic digital delay. Adjustable parameters are delay time
and feedback amount.
32 Effects Sequential
FL2: This is a vintage flanger without a feedback path and is designed to
emulate the through zero capability of tape deck flanging. Use it to add
a sweeping flanged effect to a sound. Adjustable parameters are rate and
depth.
Set Parameter 2 to the “on” position to get more musical results from the ring
modulator.
rOO: This is a room reverb. It’s the second largest of the available reverbs.
Adjustable parameters are reverb time and early reflection amount.
Distortion
The OB-6 provides an analog distortion effect. This can be used to
add warmth, harmonic complexity, and an aggressive edge to sounds.
The character of the distortion is affected by the harmonic content of a
program. Sounds with more high-end will sound different than sounds
with fewer harmonics.
To add distortion:
EFFECTS
ON/OFF EFFECT TYPE MIX
A B
34 Distortion Sequential
Low Frequency Oscillator
The LFO is a special-purpose oscillator that produces a frequency below
the range of human hearing. The LFO is typically used for periodic
modulation such as vibrato (periodic pitch modulation) and tremolo
(periodic amplitude modulation).
LFO
FREQUENCY SHAPE SINE
SAWTOOTH
REV SAW
SQUARE
RANDOM
1 2
Sine and Random waves are bipolar. That is, their waveshape is positive for
half of their cycle and negative for the other half. In the case of the sine
wave, this makes it possible to generate a natural-sounding vibrato that
goes alternately sharp and flat in equal amounts on either side of a center
frequency. Random, also known as “sample and hold,” generates a series
of random values, each held for the duration of one cycle
The square wave, sawtooth, and reverse sawtooth generate only positive
values. In the case of the square wave this makes it possible to generate natural-
sounding trills.
LFO waveshapes
The OB-6 has a sixth “hidden” LFO waveshape that you can use as a modula-
tion source — noise. To access this, choose random then turn frequency all the way
clockwise. This generates a white noise waveform.
LFO Sync: When on, the LFO synchronizes with the arpeggiator,
sequencer, or MIDI clock. By default, the LFO wave cycle is reset when
you press a key (but is not reset if you press a key while other notes are
held).
Initial Amt: Sets the amount of LFO modulation routed to the selected
destinations. Setting an amount here applies the selected modulation
continuously. If you set this parameter to zero but still select a modu-
lation destination, modulation is only applied when you use the mod
wheel.
X-Mod
Although the overall sonic character of the OB-6 is determined by its
analog oscillators and filters, much of its power to make truly unique and
unusual sounds comes from the X-Mod section.
X-MOD
FILTER ENV VCO 2
VCO 1 SHAPE 1
PW 1
You can control how much the source affects the destination by dialing in
a specific modulation amount with the filter env or vco 2 knobs. Modu-
lation amount can either be positive or negative.
X-Mod Parameters
Filter Env: Selects the amount of modulation from the Filter Envelope
that is applied to a selected destination. Modulation amount can be either
positive or negative.
38 X-Mod Sequential
VCO 1: Selects VCO 1 frequency as a modulation destination. Choose
VCO 2 as a modulation source to produce FM effects with their charac-
teristic complex harmonics and metallic timbre.
If you enable hold, you can release the notes on the keyboard and the
arpeggiator will continue to play. In addition, the arpeggiator features
auto-latching: With hold on, played notes are held on and arpeggiated,
and any additional notes you play are added to the arpeggio—as long as
at least one key is continuously held.
You can sync the arpeggiator to external MIDI clock, or even an external
audio signal. When the arpeggiator is playing, the sequencer is disabled.
40 Arpeggiator Sequential
An audio signal connected to the rear-panel footswitch - sequence jack can be
used to control arpeggiator (and sequencer) playback. This makes it possible to tempo
sync the arpeggiator to a recorded drum track or other audio source. Audio signals used
to drive the arpeggiator/sequencer should not exceed 5 volts peak-to-peak. See “Seq
Jack” on page 14 for more information about choosing the appropriate mode for these
behaviors.
1. Press the globals button twice to activate the lower set of parameters.
2. Press program selector button 9.
3. Use the bank and tens buttons as decrement and increment buttons to
step through available settings and select on.
4. Once you’ve chosen the desired setting, press the globals button again
to exit.
1. Press the globals button then press program selector button 5 (param
xmit).
2. Use the bank and tens buttons as decrement and increment buttons to
step through available settings and select either cas or nas. Your choice
depends on whether you were previously using CC or NRPN to send
MIDI controller data to your external device, as either setting will send
MIDI notes out. Choose cas if CC. Choose nas if NRPN.
3. Once you’ve chosen the desired setting, press the globals button again to
exit.
1. Connect the MIDI or USB output of the OB-6 to the MIDI or USB
input of the external device, depending on which type of connection the
external device requires.
2. On the OB-6, press the globals button, then press program selector
button 9 (midi out) to select nid (midi) or usb (usb).
3. Press the globals button again to exit the Global menu.
4. On the external device, set the MIDI Channel and MIDI Receive port to
match the OB-6.
5. Hold down a chord on the OB-6 or start sequencer playback. The exter-
nal device should be triggered by the arpeggiated or sequenced notes.
42 Arpeggiator Sequential
Using the Arpeggiator in a Poly-Chained System
In a poly-chained system, the arpeggiator functions nearly the same as it
does in a non-poly-chained system. The six extra voices are added into
the total pool of available voices. Any notes with long release times are
less likely to be cut off as additional notes are arpeggiated.
Arpeggiator Parameters
Tap Tempo—Tapping the tap tempo button sets the tempo from 30 to
250 BPM. The LED flashes at the BPM rate you set. Tap the button at
least 4 times to set the tempo.
BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the arpeggiator in BPM (beats per
minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate. When lfo sync is
enabled on the low-frequency oscillator, or clk sync is enabled in the Effects
section, the BPM rate affects the LFO frequency and/or delay effect. When
syncing to an external MIDI clock source, the BPM setting has no effect.
Value—Selects a basic note value relative to the BPM. See the table below:
Mode: Sets the order in which notes play when arpeggiator is on. See the table.
Sequencer
The OB-6’s sequencer is similar to a classic step sequencer. It allows you
to create a single sequence of up to 64 steps, including rests and ties, with
up to 6 notes per step. In addition, you can play along with a sequence
(provided there is available polyphony), making it a powerful live perfor-
mance tool. When the sequencer is playing, the arpeggiator is disabled.
The Sequencer/Arpeggiator
44 Sequencer Sequential
Programming the Sequencer
Though programming the sequencer is simple, you can create sequences that
are rhythmically and melodically complex by combining a repeating phrase
or bass line with chords, ties, and rests. You can play up to 64 steps with up
to 6 notes held simultaneously per step. For most sequences you’ll probably
want to use sounds with a relatively sharp attack and short release.
When recording a chord as a step, as long as you continue to hold at least one
note down, you can keep adding notes to the chord/step, and even use the transpose
buttons to extend the keyboard range while doing it.
3. To add a rest as you play, press the tens/increment button for that step,
then continue playing.
4. To add a tie that extends the length of a note, continue to hold down the
note(s) and press the tens/increment button repeatedly to extend the
note the number of steps you want.
5. To step back a step in the sequence, press the bank select/decrement
button. This will step back to the previous step so that you can rerecord
it. (Stepping back erases the step.)
6. When you’re done, press play to listen to your sequence.
7. To save the sequence, save the program and they are saved together.
(“Saving a Program” on page 6.)
If you want to play live along with the sequencer, be sure to leave voices avail-
able. In other words, don’t play 6-note chords for every step in the sequence!
1. Press play. The sequence plays back at the current BPM setting.
2. To stop playback, press play again.
Alternatively, you can start and stop sequencer playback using a footswitch
connected to the rear-panel seq jack or using MIDI start/stop messages sent from a
DAW or other MIDI device. See “Seq Jack” on page 14 for more information.
Use the bpm, value, or tap tempo controls to adjust sequencer playback speed.
To transpose a sequence:
With OS 1.5.5 and later, if you’re using a program with Unison enabled, you
don’t need to hold down the rec button. You can simply press a note on the keyboard
and the sequence is transposed to that key. (When not using Unison, you must still
hold down the rec button to enable transposition!.)
46 Sequencer Sequential
MIDI Note Output from the Sequencer
The OB-6’s sequencer (and arpeggiator) can output MIDI note numbers.
Any notes output by the sequencer will be output over MIDI (or USB)
as MIDI notes. You can use this feature to drive other MIDI-equipped
devices such as synthesizers and drum machines.
1. Press the globals button then press program selector button 5 (param
xmit).
2. Use the bank and tens buttons as decrement and increment buttons to
step through available settings and select either cas or nas. Your choice
depends on whether you were previously using CC or NRPN to send
MIDI controller data to your external device, as either setting will send
MIDI notes out. Choose cas if CC. Choose nas if NRPN.
3. Once you’ve chosen the desired setting, press the globals button again to
exit.
1. Connect the MIDI or USB output of the OB-6 to the MIDI or USB
input of the external device, depending on which type of connection
the external device requires.
2. On the OB-6, press the globals button, then press program selector
button 9 (midi out) to select nid (midi) or usb (usb).
3. Press the globals button again to exit the Global menu.
4. On the external device, set the MIDI Channel and MIDI Receive port
to match the OB-6.
5. Hold down a chord on the OB-6 or start sequencer playback. The exter-
nal device should be triggered by the arpeggiated or sequenced notes.
The 6 extra voices are simply added into the total pool of available
voices so that any notes with long release times are less likely to be cut
off as additional notes are played.
Additionally, the 6 extra voices can be used to play live along with a
sequence as it runs.
Sequencer Parameters
Here are the controls and parameters used when interacting with the sequencer.
Record: On, Off—This switch turns sequencer recording on and off.
BPM: 30…250—Sets the tempo for the sequencer and arpeggiator in BPM
(beats per minute). The tap tempo LED flashes at the BPM rate. When lfo
sync is turned on, the BPM rate affects the LFO frequency. When syncing to
an external MIDI clock source, the BPM setting has no effect.
Tap Tempo: 30…250—Tap this button at least 4 times to quickly set the
tempo for the sequencer and arpeggiator. The LED flashes at the BPM
rate you set.
48 Sequencer Sequential
Value: Sets the note value for each sequencer/arpeggiator step relative
to the BPM. value works with both internal and external clock sources.
The following table lists the values:
OUTPUT
MASTER VOLUME
1. Choose a program.
2. In the output section, turn the prgm vol knob to set its volume.
3. Save the program. (See “Saving a Program” on page 6.)
MIDI volume can also influence the overall volume of the OB-6 if you are
controlling it from an external MIDI source.
Pan Spread
Pan Spread pans audio in the stereo field individually per voice. Set to
0, all voices are panned to the center. As you turn the pan spread knob
up, the audio in each voice is gradually moved away from the center by
greater amounts. Every other voice goes in a different direction, left or
right. This creates a broader stereo field while playing..
Transpose
The up and down buttons in the transpose section transpose the keyboard
up or down in octaves. The LED indicates the current keyboard trans-
position state. Transposing the keyboard also changes the MIDI note
numbers of the keys so that MIDI notes sent are also transposed. Trans-
pose settings are global and are not saved with individual programs.
TRANSPOSE
0
HOLD
Portamento
Portamento causes the pitch of a note to glide up or down from the pitch
of the previously played note. Portamento is turned on and off using
the portamento switch, but the rate must also be set. If the portamento
button is on, but rate amount is set to 0, portamento has no effect.
RATE PORTAMENTO
Fixed Rate (FR):The time to transition between notes varies with the
interval between the notes; the greater the interval, the longer the transi-
tion time. The portamento rate is fixed. This is the default portamento
mode.
Fixed Rate A (FRA): The same as Fixed Rate, but portamento is only
applied when playing legato. That is, portamento only occurs when a
note is held until the next note is played. This effectively allows porta-
mento to be turned on and off from the keyboard.
Fixed Time A (FTA): The same as Fixed Time, but portamento only
occurs when playing legato.
1. Press and hold the portamento switch. The numeric display shows the
currently selected portamento mode.
2. To select a different mode, continue to hold down the portamento
switch then press the bank/decrement and tens/increment switches to
step through the other choices.
3. When finished, release the portamento switch.
Unison
When unison is on, the OB-6 functions like a monophonic synthesizer in
that only 1 note can be played at a time. However, that one note can be
powered by as many as six voices, depending on how many you choose
to use. With up to 12 oscillators powering a single note (2 oscillators per
voice x 6 voices), you can create some very dense, speaker-rattling sounds.
If you want to create an ultra heavy synth bass, try using Unison!
Unison gives you control over not only how many voices to stack,
but also the amount of detuning (with the detune knob) between the
oscillators, and what note gets priority if you happen to play more than
one note on the keyboard. (This is called the key assign mode or note
priority. See “Key Assign Modes” on page 55 for details.)
When Unison is enabled, the detune knob not only detunes the unison
voices but also spreads them out in the stereo field. If an odd number of
voices are stacked, one voice is placed in the center of the stereo field
with the other voices spread right and left. The higher the detune setting,
the wider the stereo spread.
52 Unison Sequential
DETUNE UNISON
To use Unison:
To use Unison:
If you save a program that uses chord memory, the chord is saved with
the program. “CHD” will then appear as a choice if you step through
voice stacking options using the banks/decrement and tens/increment
buttons while holding down unison.
If low-note priority is chosen in Global settings, the note that you play corre-
sponds to the lowest note of the chord voicing. Changing the Key Assign Mode to
high-note priority will make the note that you play correspond to the highest note in
the chord voicing.
54 Unison Sequential
Key Assign Modes
Key Assign (sometimes called note priority) determines what note has
priority when more than one note is played on the keyboard or via MIDI:
1. Press and hold key mode. The numeric display shows the currently
selected mode.
2. To select a different mode, continue to hold down the key mode switch
then press the bank/decrement and tens/increment switches to step
through the other choices.
3. Release the key mode switch when you’re finished.
Key Assign settings are only relevant to Unison mode. They do not affect poly-
phonic playback.
The OB-6 contains a total of 1000 programs. 500 are permanent and
500 can be overwritten. Banks 0-4 are User Banks that can be overwrit-
ten. Banks 5-9 are Factory Banks that are permanent. You can edit the
programs of either bank, but you can only save them to Banks 0-4. As
shipped from the factory, presets 000-499 are identical to 500-999.
WRITE
Decrement Increment Transpose Master Tune MIDI Channel MIDI Clock Clock Port Param Xmit Param Rcv MIDI Control MIDI SysEx MIDI Out
BANK BANK PROGRAM TENS Local Ctrl Seq Jack Pot Mode Sustain +/- Alt Tuning Vel Response AT Response Stereo/Mono Pgm Dump
SELECT SELECT 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
56 Write Sequential
Canceling Save
Sometimes you may want to cancel saving a program before you commit.
• If the write button LED is flashing, press it again. The LED stops flash-
ing and saving is canceled. You can return to editing if you want.
3. Use the program buttons to navigate to the sound you want to compare
and play the keyboard to hear the sound.
4. To disable the compare function and go back to the edited sound, turn off
the global button. Programs can’t be written while in compare mode.
5. If you want to save the edited sound, the write button is still flashing
and ready to save, so enter a location with the program buttons. The
sound is saved.
6. Alternatively, if you want to cancel saving and continue editing, press
the write button. It stops flashing and saving is canceled.
GLOBALS
1. Press the globals button. Pressing it once accesses the top row of
Global parameters. Pressing it twice accesses the top row of Global
parameters. The LED indicates which row is active.
2. Press the program selector button that corresponds to the Global
parameter you want to change.
3. Use the bank/decrement and tens/increment buttons to step through
the available settings until you reach the one you want.
4. When finished, press globals again to exit.
Pressing the globals button three times in a row saves the current program as
the default program that appears when you turn on the OB-6.
58 Globals Sequential
Manual
The manual switch toggles “live panel” mode on and off. In live panel
mode the OB-6 ignores the currently active preset and reverts to the
current front-panel settings of its knobs and switches. In other words,
what you see on the front panel is what you hear. This is a great mode for
learning, experimentation, and instant gratification.
MANUAL
• Press the manual button to toggle it on. The OB-6 is now in live panel
mode. What you see on the front panel is what you hear. Note that you
can’t change programs or banks with manual on.
• Press the manual button again to toggle it off. The LED is off. The
current program is what you hear.
Be aware when entering live panel mode that the current settings of the OB-6
knobs and switches may be such that no sound is produced. This could because the
Mixer levels are all set to zero, or some other reason. See Appendix B: Troubleshoot-
ing and Support for a checklist that can help you identify the cause.
In the same way that guitar players use note bends and vibrato to give
their playing expressiveness and character, these two controls can really
help you define your sound as a performer and take you beyond just
playing notes on the keyboard.
Pitch Mod
Pitch Wheel
You can set a range in semitones for the Pitch wheel, depending on your
playing preference. The range is up to 12 semitones (1 octave). Many
musicians use a range of 2 semitones (a whole step) since this is the bend
range of many acoustic instruments. For guitar whammy bar effects, you
many wish to set a wider range.
Many programs use the Mod wheel to add vibrato. In this case, vco 1 and vco 2
are enabled as modulation destinations in the low-frequency oscillator section. This
adds vibrato when you push the mod wheel forward. Set the initial amt knob to zero to
apply vibrato only when using the Mod wheel.
Aftertouch
Aftertouch is a performance feature that allows you to add modulation to
a sound by applying additional pressure to a key after the key is already
down. The greater the pressure applied, the more modulation is applied.
The OB-6 provides monophonic (or “channel”) aftertouch, which means
that applying pressure to any key within a chord will apply modulation
to all notes currently held.
For example, if you select the filter cutoff frequency as destination (filt
freq), set a positive amount of aftertouch, then press the keys harder, the
filter cutoff frequency will increase, making the filter open wider and the
sound become brighter.
The OB-6 provides four different aftertouch response settings for your conve-
nience. The default setting provides a linear response. To choose a different response
curve, use the at response button in the globals section.
AFTERTOUCH
AMOUNT
VCO 1 VCO 2
62 Aftertouch Sequential
VCO 2: Selects Oscillator 2 frequency as an aftertouch modulation desti-
nation. With a positive amount setting, pressing the keys harder will shift
the Oscillator 2 pitch upward. With a negative amount setting, pressing
the keys harder will shift the Oscillator 2 pitch downward.
1. Press the globals button once (this enables the upper set of parameters)
then press program selector 8 to select the midi sysex command.
2. Use the bank/decrement and tens/increment buttons to select the
appropriate MIDI port — MIDI (MID) or USB (usb).
3. Press globals a second time (this enables the lower set of parameters)
then press program selector 8 to select the pgm dump command. The
write button begins flashing.
Dumped programs will load back into the same bank and program location in
memory when received by the OB-6 via MIDI.
Repeat the calibration procedure as needed over the next few days of
use. The OB-6 learns the range of temperatures at your location and will
keep itself in tune over this range.
• With the Pitch wheel centered, hold down the manual button and press 8.
MIDI In and USB should not be used at the same time, as overlapping
messages from different sources may cause the OB-6 to respond unpredictably. MIDI
Out and USB can be used at the same time and transmit the same data.
USB Notes
Under Mac OS X, “OB-6 Keyboard” will appear as a MIDI port when
connected via USB and can be configured using the Mac’s Audio MIDI
Setup utility (typically found in Applications/Utilities).
Under Windows, the first time the OB-6 is connected via USB, the
“Found new hardware” alert appears and it is automatically installed as
“OB-6 Keyboard.”
In Windows, if you unplug the USB cable and plug it back in while a
program has the OB-6 port open, you may have to resync. That usually
means going to the OB-6 Keyboard Properties — in the Windows
Device Manager under “Sound, video, and game controllers” — and
clicking OK. If OB-6 Keyboard is no longer listed in the Device
Manager, power the OB-6 down and back up again while it is connected
via USB. It should be detected on power up.
From the factory, the OB-6 ships with 16 preset alternative tunings
ranging from Equal temperament to Indonesian Gamelan tunings. If you
want, you can replace these with other tunings that you can find on the
Internet. These must be in SysEx format. You can download them into
the OB-6 using SysEx Librarian for Mac or MIDI-OX for Windows.
1. Harmonic Series
MIDI notes 36-95 reflect harmonics 2 through 60 based on the funda-
mental of A = 27.5 Hz. The low C on a standard 5 octave keyboard acts
as the root note (55Hz), and the harmonics play upwards from there. The
remaining keys above and below the 5 octave range are filled with the
same intervals as Carlos’ Harmonic 12 Tone that follows.
3. Meantone Temperament
An early tempered tuning, with better thirds than 12ET. Sounds best in
the key of C. Use this to add an authentic touch to performances of early
Baroque music. C=1/1 (260 Hz)
7. Pythagorean C
One of the earliest tuning systems known from history, the Pythagorean
scale is constructed from an upward series of pure fifths (3/2) transposed
down into a single octave. The tuning works well for monophonic melo-
dies against fifth drones, but has a very narrow palate of good chords to
choose from. C=1/1 (261.625 Hz)
1/1 256/243 9/8 32/27 81/64 4/3 729/512 3/2 128/81 27/16 16/9 243/128
9. 3-5 Lattice in A
A pure 3 and 5-limit tuning which resolves to very symmetrical derived
relationships between notes. A=1/1 (440 Hz)
1/1 16/15 10/9 6/5 5/4 4/3 64/45 3/2 8/5 5/3 16/9 15/8
1/1 9/8 8/7 7/6 9/7 21/16 4/3 3/2 32/21 12/7 7/4 63/32
1/1 15/14 9/8 7/6 5/4 4/3 7/5 3/2 14/9 5/3 7/4 15/8
1/1 1/1 9/8 7/6 5/4 4/3 11/8 3/2 3/2 7/4 7/4 15/8
1/1 16/15 9/8 6/5 5/4 4/3 45/32 3/2 8/5 5/3 16/9 15/8
1/1 81/80 33/32 21/20 16/15 12/11 11/10 10/9 9/8 8/7 7/6 32/27 6/5 11/9
5/4 14/11 9/7 21/16 4/3 27/20 11/8 7/5 10/7 16/11 40/27 3/2 32/21 14/9
11/7 8/5 18/11 5/3 27/16 12/7 7/4 16/9 9/5 20/11 11/6 15/8 40/21 64/33
160/81
72 = Cents +1200
3. If the problem is still there, return the instrument to live panel mode
again and check all parameters to make sure they are at non-zero
values. These parameters include:
• VCO 1 & 2 pitch
• VCO 1 & 2 mixer levels
• Program volume
• Master volume
• Set the loudness envelope amount to max. Use a fast envelope with sustain at max.
• Set VCO 1 & 2 to sawtooth
• Set filter cutoff to max
• Check all other parameters by physically changing them.
• Check the midi clock setting in globals to ensure the OB-6 is set to
Out or, if set to In or slave thru (i-0), make sure the OB-6 is receiv-
ing MIDI clock.
• Check the mod wheel position. The mod wheel can do more than just
add vibrato. Also, check the midi clock setting in globals to ensure the
OB-6 is set to Out or, if set to In or slave thru (i-0), make sure the
OB-6 is receiving MIDI clock.
• USB can cause ground loops, so try to resolve any grounding issues
between the computer and the OB-6. Or use MIDI, which is opto-isolated.
• This is almost always caused by a MIDI data loop. Make sure that any
MIDI Thru functionality is turned off on the MIDI interface/hardware
or in the MIDI software application. Disconnect all the OB-6’s MIDI
connections—MIDI and USB cables—and see if the problem persists.
You can also monitor the MIDI traffic with MIDI Monitor (Mac OS) or
MIDI-OX (Windows) to see if the OB-6 is being overrun with duplicate
messages.
• Make sure that the MIDI SysEx setting in globals is set to usb or
midi depending on which you are using to transmit or receive MIDI
messages.
• Recalibrate the pitch and mod wheels. See “Calibrating the Pitch and
Mod Wheels” on page 66.
• You may need to retune the filters. See “Calibrating the OB-6” on page
65.
• The OB-6 is equipped with a MIDI bootloader, which will allow you
to reload the OS in the event the you accidentally “brick” your synth
(permanently freeze it) while updating its OS.
1. Power on the OB-6 while holding the write switch to enter bootloader
mode. You’ll see an animation in the effects parameter 1 display.
2. Use a MIDI cable (not USB) to transmit the new OS to your synth. You
must use a standard MIDI cable for this. USB MIDI doesn’t work in
bootloader mode.
3. As the OS loads, you will see the main display count backwards from
999. When it gets to 0, another countdown will begin between the main
display and the effects parameter 1 display. Do not power down until
this countdown has finished. The OB-6 will restart itself when it is
done.
If you have not already reset the Global parameters and run the calibration
routines (see Troubleshooting), you should do it before contacting Technical Support.
It’s probably the first thing they’ll ask you to do.
• Your name
• Your return address
• Your email address
• A phone number where you can be reached
• Your OB-6’s serial number
• The date of purchase and where purchased
If you need to return your instrument for repair, you are responsible for
getting it to Sequential. We highly recommend insuring it and packing in
the original packaging. Damage resulting from shipping a product with
insufficient packaging is not covered by warranty.
MIDI Clock: Sets the OB-6’s ability to send and receive MIDI clock
messages:
• Off: MIDI Clock is neither sent nor received
• Out: MIDI Clock is sent, but not received
• In: MIDI Clock is received, but not sent
• Slave Thru (i-0): MIDI Clock is received and passed to MIDI Out
• In, No Start/Stop (n55): Receives MIDI Clock but does not respond to
MIDI Start or Stop command.
When set to in or slave thru, if no MIDI clock is present at the selected input,
the arpeggiator and sequencer will not function.
Clock Port: MID, USB—Sets the port(s), MIDI or USB, by which MIDI
clock signals are received.
Param Xmit: Off, CC, NR—Changes to the values of front panel controls
are transmitted via MIDI as Continuous Controllers (CC) or Non-Registered
Parameter Number (NR). Transmission of parameters can also be turned off.
NRPNs are the preferred method of parameter transmission, since they cover
the complete range of all parameters, while CCs are limited to a range of 128.
Param Rcv: Off, CC, NR—Sets the method by which parameter changes are
received via MIDI. As with transmission, NRPNs are the preferred method.
MIDI SysEx: MID, USB— When set to MIDI (MID) it will receive and
transmit them using the MIDI ports/cables When set to USB it will
receive and transmit them using the USB port/cable. MIDI SysEx
messages are used when sending and receiving a variety of data includ-
ing, programs, alternative tunings, system updates, and more.
MIDI Out: MID, USB—Sets the port by which MIDI data will be transmit-
ted (MIDI or USB)..
MIDI Messages
See sections below for additional Continuous Controller (CC) and Non-
Registered Parameter Number (NRPN) messages received.
See sections that follow for additional Continuous Controller (CC) and
Non-Registered Parameter Number (NRPN) messages transmitted.
The messages are handled in standard MIDI format using the NRPN CC
commands in running status byte format. Below is the format used for
transmitting a NRPN parameter.
The parameter number can be found in the two tables below, one for
global parameters, and the other for program parameters. The parameter
numbers and the parameter values are broken into two 7-bit bytes for
MIDI transmission; the LSB has the seven least-significant bits, and the
MSB has the seven most-significant bits, though in most cases the MSB
will be zero or one, and never more than two.
Once an NRPN is selected, the synth will also respond to NRPN Data
Increment and Decrement commands, which some controllers utilize.
Finally, it responds to one RPN (Registered Parameter Number)
command, the RPN/NRPN Reset command, which can be handy for
resetting the currently selected parameter to a known state.
143 0-254 XMod Filter Env Amt 960-1023 0-127 Seq Step 1-64 Vel 6
SysEx Messages
Universal System Exclusive Message (Device Inquiry)
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0111 1110 Non-realtime message
0vvv vvvv If MIDI channel is set to 1 - 16, 0vvvvvvv must match (unless MIDI Channel = ALL); always
responds if 0vvvvvvv = 0111 1111.
0000 0110 Inquiry Message
0000 0001 Inquiry Request
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0111 1110 Non-realtime message
0vvv vvvv If MIDI Channel = ALL, 0vvvvvvv = 0111 1111. Otherwise 0vvvvvvv = Channel Number
0 - 15.
0000 0110 Inquiry Message
0000 0010 Inquiry Reply
0000 0001 DSI ID
0010 1101 OB-6 ID (Family LS)
0000 0001 Family MS
0000 0000 Family Member LS
0000 0000 Family Member MS
0jjj nnnn Main Software version: jjj - Minor rev; nnnn - Major rev
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
The OB-6 will respond by sending out the program data in the format
described below in Program Data Dump.
The OB-6 will respond by sending out the current program edit buffer in
the format described below in Program Edit Buffer Data Dump.
The OB-6 will respond by sending out the current values of the global
parameters in the format described in Global Parameters Data Dump.
Status Description
1111 0000 System Exclusive (SysEx)
0000 0001 DSI ID
0010 1110 OB-6 ID
0000 0010 Program Data
0000 00vv Bank Number: 0 - 9
0vvv vvvv Program Number: 0 - 99
0vvv vvvv 1024 bytes expanded to 1171 MIDI bytes in “packed MS bit” format
1111 0111 End of Exclusive (EOX)
The Global Parameters Data Dump is not recognized when received; it is only
transmitted when requested. NRPN messages are used to change Globals.
1 A7 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1 A0 1 00 G7 F7 E7 D7 C7 B7 A7
2 B7 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 B0 2 00 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1 A0
3 C7 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 C0 3 00 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 B0
4 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 4 00 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 C0
5 E7 E6 E5 E4 E3 E2 E1 E0 5 00 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0
6 F7 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 F0 6 00 E6 E5 E4 E3 E2 E1 E0
7 G7 G6 G5 G4 G3 G2 G1 G0 7 00 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 F0
8 00 G6 G5 G4 G3 G2 G1 G0
This explains why it takes 1171 MIDI bytes to transmit 1024 Program data bytes.
www.sequential.com
DSI-10139R